Building construction



May 29, 192s.

A. F. BEMIS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1man May 29, 1928. 1,671,462

A. F. BEMIS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,5w W W w Z May 29, 1928. 1,671,462

A. F. BEMIS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 2. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented May ,29,l 1928.

UNITED4 STATES PATENT ALBERT E. BEMIs, 0E NEWTON. MASSACHUSETTS,AssIGNoE. To Brainsv INDUSTRIES,

INC., or EosToN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION CE DELAWARE.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

' .Appiieatien mea neeemner 2, i925. lsemi No. ram.4

This invention relates to building constructions such as dwellinghouses, oice buildings, factories, warehouses, garages, etc., and moreparticularly initial formative processes for fabricating suchstructures. I

Objects of this invention are to provide a construction in which thecomponent parts may be quickly andeasily assembled with a minimum amountof labor especially so that the parts may be' prepared in advance andquickly assembled in situ to form the primary outline of a building.This type of construction is designed to permit economy in time, money,labor, and materials and. to allow the employment of a large proportionof unskilled labor.

A salient feature of this invention is the use A'of standardizedcolumnar units, which are `preferably tubular and which may be combinedwith other standardized units t-o form the primary outline of a concretebuildare of a type that lend themselves readily tov a liieproofconstruction. The use of tubular units insures a considerable air spacein the walls, thus providing heat insulation and .affording anopportunity for the',` installation of electric wires, water pipesandother connections. Furthermore Y this yconstruction forms a Iii'nibacking for annouter layerk of cement applied by `a cement gun or forother means. y v Y l The essential idea of my' invention isi applicableto a Wide range of variations, forl example reinforcing meanscanreadilybe arranged in almost any desired manner,

while cement can be poured into a varyingA number of tubular members toform solid columnar units as conditions require,iand the unitsthemselves may be varranged at varying distances from one another tovgive'difer'ent wall sections. These and many othervadvantages willappear to those skilled in the art,

upon a reading ofthe following description.'

In the drawings: e Fig. 1 is avertio'al section through a side wallandportions of the floors and roof of a building;` i

t' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a foundaion;

3 is a detail view;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a similar view ofanother embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a section on line v8--8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a detail view;

Fig. 10 is a broken detail View;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of another form of the invention; e

Fig. 12 is a similar View of another form of the invention;

Fig. 13 isa sectional view corresponding to Fig. 5, but illustratinganother embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 14 is an end View of a unit. y A' The particular embodiment of myinvention shown for illustration utilizes' similar columnar units 1which may bevof any form, but' which are preferably tubular, and areshown as being of cylindrical form for purposes of'convenientillustration and descri tion. The walls of these units arepreferably of light cernentitious materialsuch as gypsum, althou h.lberboard, sheet metal on any otherfsuitabl'e substance maybevv used.

To form an vimproved building according to my invention a concretefoundation 2 is first poured with its upper surface recessed,

lower kends. of thev tubularxunits 1 vand to hold them againsttransverseinovement. A shallow Alongitudinal recessjmay be formed engagea series of units as indicated in Figure 2, orvbefore the cementispoured cylindrical forms or cups 4 may be located at the positionwhere depressions are to be formed. Several of the cups 4are'preferablyformed into a unit in order to insure ready alinement. Afterthefoundation has 9o,- as indicated by numeral 3, tol engag the hardenedthe cups 4 may be removed or they may preferably be left to `linethe'depressions 3 as shown in Fig. 3. The units 1y are then disposed ina. juxtaposed upright position with their lower ends in the recessedportion 3. After a series o f units areset up, rangers 6 resting uponthe foundation 2v are'clampedabout `their lower ends. These rangers 6lmaybe of wood'but are preferably of a light cementitious material suchas gy sum', having inner surfaces shaped w1th curved grooves-8 to litaround port-ions of the cylinrical outer walls of the units 1 Anysuitable means such as bolts 9, passing'between the units, may be usedto draw the rangers' to ether. Rangers 7 ofsimilar form but ofantiallyless depth are next clamped about the lupper 'ends of the units1y thereby drawin these portions into accurate aline'- ment, t erespective-uppersurfaces lof vthe rangers 7 and the tubular units 1having' substantially the same' level.,` `WhileI either` the rangers 6or,` the recessed' portion 3 may be omitted, their useinsures amoresolid and accurate constructionv and .faciht artes the 'applicationofthe upper rangers 7.

Layers v10 ofcementitious material may be placed vabout the-uprightunits 1, forming flat-inner andouter walls and illing the vmemillfglelurities vand y spacesy between the-various.

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v 2 vfthe'.,"eemefnt 10 preferably has suilicient rangers 16 'and 7although these surfaces may substantially coincide with the surfaces ofthe 'cement Wall, whenever lthe appearance of such an arrangement wouldnot be objectionable.

Instead of a monolithic mass of material, slabs of cementitiousmaterial, wood,` fiber board or the like'may be placed against the`units-1 to form a.wall. One embodiment of such a construction isillustratedl in Fig.A v13 wherein the slabs 30 are fitted against the-olposite sides of units 1. Pairs of these s a s are ,connected to eachother by rods "31'which are-pivotally secured to eyes 32 or yotherwisefastened .to the midportions 'of the slabs, andyaregjdesigned to extendbetween 'twoadjoining;l columnar units. The correl spending" innervvand-outer slabs 30 may be manufactured'andassembled in a unit withthe.: connecting rodsv 31, so' that in order. to OIIth' -wallfit'l-isonly necessary to place v se unitsa ainst la tubular ,unit and thheraztubu ar unit against. one of these iunlt's in alternating order,with -the rodsSl' entendingbetween'the tubular units.

.The'walls' of the first .story having been y'constructed in such amanner, if it is desired to applya flat roof or a floor for a secondst0ry,lplanks V14 may be located with their ends resting upon the innermargins of the side .,walls'. The planks 14 may be of any l lightcementitious material: such as v `gypsumjor `of fibrous-material such aswood,

y @preferable `the former.: These members are l ffaf-sullicient lengthto span the distance vfbetvveen the opposite walls of a room or *Thisoperationfmayperform` l.ed in any well-known'manner, but it oft'ers anlespeciallyadv'antageous opportunity for rV th'euseof the vceme'rnt gun.As shown in Fig.

building and when necessary their centers may be supported by temporal'struts in any Well known manner, and o course, if desired, their endsmay be similarly braced. Above each plank 14 is placed a tubular unit 1similar to the units 1,L These units vprefer-ably do not have as great alength."as'the lanks 14, but terminate substantlally in a ine with theinner surface of the side Walls `as shown at 16 of Fig. 8., The unit 1amay be held upon the planks 14 by .r any. suitable method. I haveshown-the shallow grooves `17 in vthe upper surface of the planks 14shaped to litthe sectionof the curved wall of the units 1**k with thewires 45 extending over the unit and secured to the plank at eitherside, but these rvmembers 'may also be bolted together' as indicated inFig. 7 orv n other fastenlng means may -be used. Each memberla ispreferably assembled in a unit with the corresponding plank before beingplaced` upon the sidek walls, although the inode. `of-fassembly may bevaried to meet the individual requlrements. Y An, assembly of this Itypeisl shown more yparticularly in pping strips 19 of any suitable materialA (Fig. 10) are placed over the upper ends of wall units 1, openings 20'of thesel strips vre istering withv the hollow interiors ofcertaincolumns y1, while cylindrical caps 15 are similarly used to coversome or all of the ends of units 1a. When necessary reinforcing rods1'8are situated between the units` 1, and concrete is then placed aroundthese members and over the capping strips 19,

forming a floor 22 with integral glrts 24 above the side walls aswell4as columns' 23 registering with the openings 20 inthe capping strip.These various parts are vthus formed into practically.: almonolithicstruc-` ture. This operationv may be performed by pouring cementitiousmaterial into a form uilt up to outline the (outer surfaces of beams 24,or the cement gun may be used for this purpose.' If desired a suitablecovering may be appliedtothefplanks 141to form a linishior the'ceiling.

lll)

v A monolithic Hoor or roof may be formed about the units 1*? in'various other ways. For exampleva temporary form may be substituted forthe planks 14 (Fig. 11) tubular If it is desired to add ,anotherstorytav recessed portion 3, similar to that formed 1n the foundation 2,is formed in the upper surfaceof girt 24 and units 1 are engaged in thisrecessed portion as has been previously described. In a like manner anydesired number of stories may be erected.

In order to erect a pitched roof of the form shown in Fig. 2 the planksand units lapin the upper Hoor are installed in the manner that hasalready been described. At the ends of the units, girts 26 are formed tohave the shape indicated in Fig. 2 with an upper inclined surfaceapproximately at right angles to the inclination of the proposed roof. Arecessed portion 3" may be formed in this surface as shown or it may beomitted. 'An auxiliary range member 34 having an inclinded upper surfaceis laced above each end of the upper floor 2 The repared key beam 33 islocated below the ridge of the roof with inclinded upper vsurfacesaligned with the similar portions of range members 34 at either side ofthe building. The planks 14:b which are like the floor lanks 14,reviously described, can then be laid upon these incllned surfacespreferably with the' lower ends of the planks abutting the floor 27. Theauxiliary range member 34 and the ridge beam 33 are preferablystandardized units of material similar to that used for the rangers 6and 7. Tubular units 1b similar to those previously described are eitherengaged in the recessed portion 3b of girt 26 or are set with their endsupon the inclined surface of that member, as the casermay be, beingassembled with planks 14" in any of the ways previously described withreference to ythe floor construction. Concrete is then applied over andbetween the units 1" forming a cementitious layer bet-wccn the ltubularunits and a flat surface for the roof which may be covered by suitableroofing material if desired.

The mode of construction disclosed in Fig.l 13 may also be used for thefabrication of roofs. For example, a pitched roof may be erected withthe slabs and tubular members extending crosswise or lengthwise, oraflat roof may be built in a similar manner.

Many alternative modes of construction disclosed in my copendingapplications, No. 33,173, filed September 13, 1925 or Nos. f 72,674,72,675, 72,676 and 72,678, filed of even date herewith may be employedin con-, junction with various features of the present invention-e. g.projecting members insteatl of recesses may telescope with the ends ofthe tubular units or key members maybe engaged in slots to secure theunits tothe adjacent structure.

I claim:

1. In a building construction a base mem'- ber having a recessedportion, Va series of columnar units having their lower ends engaged insaid recessed portion, and members clamping the columnar units inalinement.

2. In a building construction, a series ot' alined columnar units havingtheir ends supported upon a common base member and elongate aliningmembers secured upon the opposite sides of the columnar.' units.

3. In a buildingconstruction, a series of alined columna-r units havingtheir ends supported upon a c ommon base member, an alining membersecured to the upper portions of the units, and a layer of cementitiousmaterial covering said units' and said alining member. A

4. In a building construction, a base member having a recessed portion,a series of columnar units having their lowerends engaged in saidrecessed portion, and members clamping the upper portions of the unitsin alinement.

5. In a building construction a base mem-l ber having a recessedportion,A a series of columnar units having their lower ends engaged insaid recessed portion, members clamping the lower portions of thecolumnar units and other members clamping the upper portions ofthe`columnar units.

6. In a building construction, a base member having a recessed portion,a series of columnar units having their lower ends engaged in saidrecessed portion, members clamping the columnar units in alinement and alayer of cementitious material covering the units and clamping members.

7. A building construction comprising a series of vertical juxtaposedWall elements, a girt extending along the ends of the wall elements, andanother series of juxtaposed elements extending from the girt at anangle to the plane of the wall, and Substantially monolithic extensionsof said girt extending between said wall elements and between saidelements which are located at an angle thereto. l

8. A building construction comprising a series of vertical juxtaposedwall elements', a] girt extending along the ends of the wall elements,and another series of juxtaposed elements extending from the girt at anangle tothe plane of the wall, and substantially monolithic extensionsof said girt extending vbetween said wall elements and between saidelements which are located at an angle to said elements and forming acontinuous cementitious layer above the/last named elements. f

9. A building construction comprising a row of juxtaposed tubular Wallelements, a girt extending along the ends of the wall elements andanother series of juxtaposed elements, extending from the girt at anangle to the plane of the wall elements, said girt consisting ofeementitious material and being provided with substantially integralextensions extending. into tubular body portions of certain of the wallelements and being provided vwith other extensions extending in spacesbetween the elements which are located at an angle to the wall elements.

10. A building construction comprising a i series of elongate, juxtaosed wall elements,

and a series of elongate juxtaposed floor elements, a girt located atthe adjoining ends'of the wall and floor elements, a layer ofcementitious material covering the outer surfaces of the wall elements,and a layer of cementitious material overlying the floor elements, saidlayers of cementitious material and said girt being substantiallyintegral.

12. A building construction comprising a series of juxtaposed, elongate,vertical wall elements, a girt at the upper end of the wall elements, aseries of juxtaposed floor elements extending -from the girt, said girtconsistin of cementitious material and being provlded with inte ralextensions lying between certain of the oor elements and reinforcingmembers imbedded in said extensions and having their ends bound in saidirt.

13. In a building construction, a base membcr,a series of columnar unitshaving their lower ends in interfitting engagement with said basemember, and members clamping the upper portions of the unit-s inalignment.

' Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this 30th day of October 1925.

ALBERT F; BEMIS.

